Single Reviews: Sparrows Eat Crows - Gods That Fade / Skinwalkers
2 minutes ago
3 min read
17th September 2026
Sparrows Eat Crows are a three-piece from Orange County, California, comprising Aden Mackness on vocals and guitar, Ben Taylor on bass and Omar Ruiz on drums. The band cite Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Helmet and Deftones as influences. Their releases to date include the 2024 album Red Tide Rising. Their two most recent offerings have been the singles Gods That Fade and Skinwalkers.
Gods That Fade
Gods That Fade opens with a few seconds of slightly disturbing synths before a hulking riff descends and Omar Ruiz’s drums immediately go on the attack. Sparrows Eat Crows make great use of atmosphere, with a reverberating bassline and jagged guitar intertwining during the verses beneath vocals that feel as though they are being delivered from a distance. When the chorus arrives, everything breaks open, the riffs intensify once more and Mackness’s vocals are utterly arresting and he is unforgiving in his delivery. The use of harsh and clean vocals makes for a striking contrast and this is reflected in the lyrics. Gods That Fade is a bitter tirade on hypocrisy, greed and blind devotion. Its imagery portrays people consumed by corruption and emptiness, eventually facing the consequences of their false beliefs, selfishness and destructive behaviour. Gods, you slay me / Wasted and rotten / Inside you fade away / False, you’re a zombie / Fake, broke and lonely / Fall, you will fade away.
For a three-piece, Sparrows Eat Crows create a remarkably rich and expansive sound, with every element given room to breathe rather than simply piling one layer on top of another. A real attention to detail runs through the arrangement, with the quieter passages given just as much consideration as the heavier moments. Quietly menacing, the bridge introduces a palpable sense of tension, pulling us deeper into the track before the intensity gradually returns. Space is used particularly well too, with moments where almost everything drops away, leaving the listener hanging on every note before the band crashes back in. Clear strains of grunge and alternative metal run throughout, although at times, the aggression edges towards that of heavier sub-genres. Crucially, none of this feels forced or thrown in for the sake of it. Instead, the track ebbs and flows, constantly shifting its weight while retaining a clear sense of purpose.
Skinwalkers
Skinwalkers may be recognisably the work of the same band as Gods That Fade but its arrangement has a more anthemic quality. Omar Ruiz is relentless behind the kit, particularly when the heavier sections arrive, demonstrating just how ferocious this three-piece can become. Ben Taylor also deserves attention, with basslines that refuse to simply follow the guitars. His playing through the verses takes a few unexpected turns, adding movement and keeping the rhythm from becoming predictable. Lyrically, Skinwalkers takes a darker and more unsettling path, using the mythical creatures that imitate human appearance as a metaphor for people whose outward persona conceals something altogether more sinister. The idea of what lies beneath the surface runs throughout the song, with the repeated imagery becoming increasingly claustrophobic. Skin goes on, the monsters lurk below / Skin comes off, the demons are on show. It is a vivid way of expressing the disconnect between appearance and what might actually be lurking underneath.
The layering of harsh and clean vocals gives the chorus an extra sense of scale, with the contrasting voices sitting alongside one another rather than simply taking turns, creating a fuller and more formidable vocal presence. When the guitar solo arrives, it cuts through the dense arrangement before developing into a beautifully expansive passage that gives the song a welcome lift. What makes Skinwalkers work is the way all these elements are allowed to breathe. The guitars can be crushing, the rhythm section constantly shifts beneath them and the vocals add another layer without overwhelming the music. Just when you think you have got a handle on where the song is heading, another shift in dynamics keeps it moving, while the recurring vocal and lyrical motifs give the whole thing a suitably sinister character.
Both Gods That Fade and Skinwalkers have plenty of attitude and that same character comes across in the video for the former without ever feeling contrived. There is considerably more going on beneath the surface of these songs and I will definitely be interested to hear where Sparrows Eat Crows take things next.
Gods That Fade and Skinwalkers are out now.
Sparrows Eat Crows online
Comments